Kole Konrad retires from MMA

This was mentioned in another thread, but It's on Sherdog now so I guess it's official.  Prindle/Santos again for the interim belt?

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Bellator-Heavyweight-Champion-Cole-Konrad-Retires-from-Mixed-Martial-Arts-45587

*Edit:
From the article:
Konrad has reportedly taken a job as a financial trader with a Minneapolis-based sales and marketing company and will specialize in milk products, according to TwinCities.com. 

* Edited at 09.12.2012, 6:16 PM ET *

that's interesting, i didn't know that. maybe it is possible.

This news is great to me ... sorry.

I hear what you're saying Live, but Rogers is a bigger name than Konrad was ever going to be.  He's at least fought some of the best Heavyweights out there (Barnett, Arlovski, Overeem, Fedor).  Konrad's best opponent was Paul Buentello...

Impressive list of opponents, plus considering that Rogers is probably a bigger "character" than Konrad makes him more marketable to a 2nd tier organization that's trying to convince the MMA world that they have a world class roster of fighters that can compete with the UFC.   The out of gym issues that Rogers has had definitely hurts him a little, but considering how marketable Chael Sonnen is (despite his out of gym issues, TRT use, and the fact that he lost the best fight he fought), I think Bellator can find a way to work with Rogers should he ever win the belt and still market him as one of the Top 10 best Heavyweights in the world (despite it being obvious he isn't, but hey they did that with Konrad and his less than stellar quality opponents, so why not with Rogers?)

But again, I hear what you're saying, I just think in terms of marketing in the MMA world, Rogers is a bigger name and I think a bigger draw than Cole Konrad ever was.  And bigger draws is exactly what Bellator wants and needs right now.  

 

Got heavyweights?

I'm bummed... I never got to see him get KTFO. I have to take him off my list now.

That was unexpected. Not that I really care though, tbh...

Wow.  Definitely unexpected, but I agree with @wish, he's accomplished a lot, he's been a champion and now he's moving on and thinking about life long term.